Life Cycle Worksheet

Sketch or picture of fish

Name of Fish: ____________________________________________________________________

EGGS
Egg size: _______________ LARVAL FISH:
Month of hatch: _________
Location:_______________
Habitat:________________
Incubation time:_________
Diet:___________________
Comments: _____________
Comments: _____________
______________________
______________________

SPAWNING

Age at first spawning:_________________

FRY
Habitat:________________
Frequency of spawning: _______________
Diet:___________________
Preferred spawning habitat:____________
Comments: _____________
Spawning season:____________________
______________________
Average number of eggs deposited
(varies by size of female):______________ ______________________

Spawning behavior:___________________

Comments: _________________________

________________
ADULT JUVENILE
________________
Habitat:________________ Habitat:________________
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Diet:___________________ Diet:___________________
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Average lifespan:_________ Comments: _____________

Comments: _____________ ______________________
______________________ ______________________
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______________________
 Life cycle: Reproductive strategies
reproductive strategies
In general, animals use one of two basic reproductive strategies. They may produce:

n Limitednumbers of offspring, reproduce infrequently, and n Massive quantities of offspring, reproduce more frequent-
invest significant nutritional resources and time to ensure ly, and invest hardly any time or resources in any one
a high probability of survival for each offspring (e.g., offspring (e.g., fish).
humans, elephants);

Example reproductive strategies of Great Lakes Fish

While Great Lakes fish typically produce eggs in mass sediment. Removal of natural bedrock such as in the
quantities, the number of eggs and amount of energy creation of shipping channels is thought to interfere with
invested into each egg varies by species. lake whitefish spawning.

n Smallmouth bass: Female smallmouth bass produce
eggs in the spring. Males build nests in shallow gravel
areas near a rock or log for shelter and guard the fertilized
eggs. After smallmouth bass hatch and emerge from the
gravel, they form balls up to three feet in diameter con-
taining hundreds of fry. The male continues to guard his
offspring as they begin to move apart and wander farther
from the nest until the fry are so far apart that guarding is
no longer possible.
n Lakewhitefish: Lake whitefish are open water fish but
spawn near shore in the fall. Spawning takes place at
night close to the surface and is very active. Male and
female fish sometimes leap out of the water during
spawning. Eggs fall to the bottom and remain there until
hatching in the spring. Winter ice cover may help keep
wind from stirring the bottom and covering the eggs with
n Lake sturgeon: Lake sturgeon have a slow reproductive
cycle and spawn only once every four years on average.
Fast flowing water is best for sturgeon. Lake sturgeon
compete with power companies for habitat because high
gradient (steep), fast flowing sections of rivers are also
good places to produce hydro-electric power. 
n Round goby: Female round gobies spawn repeatedly
from April to September. Males build nests and guard
their eggs and young, but most die soon after spawning.
Round gobies are an invasive species that presumably
arrived in the ballast water of vessels coming into the
Great Lakes. They can tolerate degraded water quality
and are able to withstand low oxygen concentrations
for several days. They compete with native species for
spawning habitat.

The chart below compares the reproductive strategies of four Great Lakes fish.
Notice the differences in lifespan, age at first spawning, eggs per pound than lake sturgeon. However, lake sturgeon
and spawn interval among these fish. Round gobies have a eggs are much bigger than lake whitefish eggs. In relation
shorter lifespan but reproduce several times per year. Lake to lake whitefish, lake sturgeon tend to invest more energy
sturgeon live longer but reproduce less frequently. and time in fewer offspring with the goal to ensure a high
probability of survival for each.
Also notice the differences in egg size and number of eggs
produced. Lake whitefish produce a greater number of

Smallmouth
Lake whitefish Lake sturgeon Round goby
bass
80-150 years 2-3 years
Lifespan 15 years 10 years
(female) (female)
Age at first 5-7 years 24-26 years 1-2 years
2-8 years
spawning (female) (female) (female)

Every 2-3 Every 4-6 Many times per

Spawn interval Every year
years years (female) year (female)
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1.2 - 2.5 mm ~2.3 mm in 2.7-3.5 mm

Egg size ~3 mm in diameter
diameter diameter diameter
~7000 per 8000-16000 4000-6000 per 80 - 600 (goby
Number of eggs
pound per pound pound weigh <1 pound)
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